1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pick-up style utility vehicle having a cargo bed that is expandable in a front direction so as to optimize an area or capacity of a cargo bed space or a passenger space according to user demands.
2. Description of the Related Art
At present, utility vehicles of various styles are used. Other than a pick-up style utility vehicle with a relatively large cargo bed behind a seat, there is a straddle-type all terrain vehicle having a handle bar, or the like.
Typically, the pick-up style utility vehicle is more practical than the handle bar type utility vehicle belonging to the straddle-type all terrain vehicle. The pick-up style utility vehicle is used for hunting in fields and mountains, conveyance of lumber, movement in golf courses, golf course maintenance, and the like.
The present applicants have formerly developed the inventions relating to the pick-up style utility vehicle with a cargo bed whose area or capacity can be expanded. These inventions are disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,905,159, 6,994,388, and 7,249,798.
A configuration of the pick-up style utility vehicle disclosed in the respective documents has a front seat including a driver's seat, a rear seat, and a cargo bed in this order from the front. The rear seat can be changed between a used state and a retracted state to switch between a 2 passengers transformation and a 4 passengers transformation. In the 2 passengers transformation, a front portion of the cargo bed can be expanded into a riding space occupied by the rear seat in the used state.
Typically, a screen shield is provided at the front end of the cargo bed of the pick-up style utility vehicle so as to prevent a load loaded on the cargo bed from moving into the riding space in front of the cargo bed. The screen shield need be changed between the 2 passengers transformation expanding the cargo bed in a front direction, and the 4 passengers transformation not expanding the cargo bed.
FIG. 21 shows an example of the expandable cargo bed disclosed in the related art documents. A cargo bed 400 has a stationary bottom plate 401, right and left stationary side panels 402, a pair of right and left expandable side panels 404 provided at the front ends of the stationary side panels 402 and rotatably supported about hinge shafts 403, an expandable bottom plate 405 provided at the front end of the stationary bottom plate 401, and a front panel 406. A screen shield 407 is integrally formed with the front panel 406.
Pins 410 for positioning and fixing protruded in a downward direction are provided at the right and left ends of the screen shield 407. Pin insertion holes 411 and 412, into which the pins 410 of the screen shield 407 can be inserted, are formed in the upper surface of the end of each of the expandable side panels 404 and the upper surface of the front end of each of the stationary side panels 402. Moreover, a front panel fixing means 430 is provided at a lower portion of the front face of the front panel 406. The front panel fixing means has different pins from above-described the pins.
As indicated by the solid lines in FIG. 21, when the expandable side panels 404 are closed (4 passengers transformation), the screen shield 407 is located at the front ends of the stationary side panels 402 and the pins 410 of the screen shield 407 are inserted into the pin insertion holes 412 of the stationary side panels 402 from above. As indicated by the imaginary lines, when the expandable side panels 404 are opened in a front direction (2 passengers transformation), the screen shield 407 is located at the front ends of the expandable side panels 404 and the pins 410 of the screen shield 407 are inserted into the pin insertion holes 411 of the expandable side panels 404 from above.
With the above configuration, the screen shield 407 is moved between an expanded position when the cargo bed 400 is expanded and a non-expanded position when the cargo bed 400 is not expanded. The screen shield 407 need be lifted together with the front panel 406 to pull out the right and left pins 410 from the pin insertion holes 411 or 412. The screen shield 407 and the front panel 406 then need be integrally moved in a rear or front direction. After the movement, the pins 410 need be inserted into the pin insertion holes 412 or 411 from above again.
However, the weight of the screen shield 407 is substantial, and a width of the screen shield 407 extends throughout substantially the whole width of the cargo bed 400. Consequently, it is very difficult for one person to move the screen shield 407. Particularly, the screen shield 407, which integrally has the front panel 406, must be lifted and moved together with the front panel. Accordingly, at present, the left and right ends of the screen shield 407 and the front panel 406 need be held and lifted by two operators to pull out the pins 410. After this movement, the pins 410 need be inserted into the pin insertion holes 411 or 412 again. Thus, the movement of the screen shield 407 takes a long time. In addition, since the front panel fixing means 430 are provided on the front surface of the front panel 406, the front seat obstructs the operation of the second fixing means. When the cargo bed is contracted to change the 2 passengers transformation to the 4 passengers transformation, the front seat is located in front of the front panel 406 of the cargo bed in the expanded state, thereby obstructing the releasing or fixing operation of the front panel fixing means 430. When the operator is on the cargo bed during the movement operation, the front panel fixing means 430 are located in positions in which it is difficult for the operator to see.